Questions about a Pico Reef

SfdPiggy

Posted 19 February 2012 - 03:04 PM

SfdPiggy

Nano Reefer

Members

76 posts

Joined 17 Sep 2011

I have had a 30g reef for about 5 years now. I'm thinking about starting a small 5g pico reef to put on a counter top.

I'm looking for a small tank (anywhere from 5 - 10 gallons) that has a built in filter (Like a biocube) I really liked the BioCube 8, but they don't make them anymore. Do you guys know of any pico reef tanks that I can buy online?

And also, what type of lighting do you guys use on your pico reef. I switched to LEDs on my 30gallon, because my 200W power-compact got too hot (80 - 85 degrees) I would like LED for the my pico reef, whats your opinion? And how hard is it to keep SPS in such a small tank?

.Newman.

Posted 19 February 2012 - 03:39 PM

.Newman.

Nano Reefer

Members

6,920 posts

Joined 15 Feb 2010

New Jersey (North)

you could keep some of the easier ones. check par values and see where in the tank SPS would be happiest at. also check how high you have to suspend the light. it could mean the difference between having great colored SPS and faded-looking ones.

asting

Posted 20 February 2012 - 05:21 AM

If I could start over all over, I would go with a picoaquariums.com and a Par30 or 38 bulb (depending on tank size) for convenience and a sweet looking set up. Not a fan of the HOB stuff.

And a high price tag too!

DIY is the way to get the best value and get exactly what you're looking for in an aquarium. I built my 5.5 and it went pretty well (with the exception of the painting which was difficult in the winter).

wang949

Posted 20 February 2012 - 10:01 AM

wang949

Nano Reefer

Members

82 posts

Joined 14 Dec 2011

Orange County, CA

And a high price tag too!

DIY is the way to get the best value and get exactly what you're looking for in an aquarium. I built my 5.5 and it went pretty well (with the exception of the painting which was difficult in the winter).

True the price is high, but this hobby is everything but inexpensive. Personally, I could never match the quality of work of a high end production tank, especially without buying a bunch of tools. It all depends on your situation.